Applicants should aim for a 50th percentile score or higher in each section of the GRE to ensure that they are competitive. Candidates should take the GRE before August of the year in which they are applying. In addition to taking the GRE at least two months prior to the application deadline, applicants should also request that their scores be sent at least 2 weeks prior to the application deadline to ensure that scores will be received prior to the application deadline. The MUSC GRE code is 5407. For additional information regarding the GRE, please visit the ETS-GRE website.

Reference letters (at least 3)

At least one should be from a health care provider, preferably a PA or physician. None should be from family members or family friends.

Hands-on patient care experience

A minimum number of patient care hours is not required for admittance into our Program.

Successful applicants average 500 hours of patient care experience upon entering the Program.

We accept hands-on patient care experience hours received by shadowing, volunteering, or work experience.

Other factors that our admissions committee values include:

Traits desirable in a future physician assistant, previous accomplishments, diverse life experiences, and significant knowledge of how to deliver health care

Experiences which demonstrate these traits may include: volunteer work, international mission work, military service, proficiency in foreign languages, unique life experiences, health training or certification, unique leadership positions, and biomedical research experience. To view qualifications of incoming students, click here